Feeding attachment for printing presses



D. BELCHER FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,199

Filed Oct. 26, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l i T TORNE m Dec. 20, 1927.

D. BELCHER FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Oct. 26, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet Q .M/ o a u \hu an $1 M mm H k mm W a l nfi UK a U i v, \1 l K Q flan .Dfl/V/L'L BEL CHER v.5) 4,

Dec. 20, 1927.

D. BELCHER FEEDING ATTACHMENT FgR PRINTING ,PRESSES Fil 012g. 26, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR D/iN/EL BELCHER A 7- To/Wvf rs Dec. 20, 1927.

D. BELCHER FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [NVENTUR fiflN/EL BELCHER (2 84 MM Filed Oct.

Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

' UNITED sTATes PATENT OFFICE,

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or nmnnaroms, mason, a conrona'rronor mssounr.

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A lication fled October as, less. Serial in. 64,924.

This invention relates .to an improved.

feeding attachment for printing presses and more particularl relates to an improvement over the forms own in ,my prior pendin application SerialNo. "706,917, filed Apri An objectof this invention is to provide a feeding attachment for printing presses; particularly of the rotary type, whereby the W material tobe 'printed'on may be'taken directly from a roll-and delivered to the rinting'surface in a continuous sheet an having means for varyin the distance between impressions, after W 'eb the printed material is re-roll'ed or may be converted into any form or-shape desired for future manufacture or'use.. 4 v

A further object of thexinvention is to provide such an attachment particularlyf adapted for use in connection with print ing presses employed for printing or making impressions on a web of'material, either paper or cloth, before such material is made into sacks or bags for various urposes, and which mechanism is provide with means for positively varying, to a predetermined degree, the distance between impressions depending uponthe particular size of the bag or sack into which the'web of material may subsequently be manufactured.

The particular ob'ect of the invention, therefore, is to provi e an improved feeding attachment for printing presses,

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following descri tion and the accompanying drawings an will be pointed out in the annexed claims. I

In the-drawings there has been disclosed a structure desi. ed to carry out .the various objects of t e invention,.but itis to be understood that the invention'is not confined to the exact features shown, as various chan es may be made within'the scope of the c aims which follow.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a printing press showing my improved feeding attachment connected thereto:

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 Figure 3- is an enlar ed detail sectional webeand Figure 4' is a detail sectional view on the lines 4-4 of Figures 3 and 5;

Figure 5 is a'detail plan 'viewof a portion .of t e feedin attachment showing the means provide for re-rolling the printed Figure 6 is a detail sectional view on the hue 6-6 of Figure 5.

In .the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, there is illustrated a printing pressof ordinary construction, compris-' ing the usual frame 5 uponlwhich the usual impressioncylinder 6 and complementary -rinting rolls 7 are mounted. The usual inking? rolls 8 are also shown to provide means for inking the surfaces of the printing rolls 7 ,as is customary in structures of th s kind. A printing cylinder 9 is also mounted upon the frame 5 and cooperates with the printing surfaces or blankets 11 'of the cylinder 6 to transfer the impressions from the blankets onto the web of material being fed between the printing cylinder 9 and the cylinder 6 as shown in Figure 1.

A plurality of gripper wheels 13 are mounted upon a shaft 14 arranged over the printing cylinder 9 adapted to be yieldably held in contact with the surface thereof by means of compression sprin 15 mounted in the bearing brackets 16 at each end of the roll 9. These gripper wheels function to positively start the feedingof the material between the cylinders 9 and 6 when moved intocontact with the sheet or web of material passing over the printing cylinder 9. A cam wheel 17 is mounted adjacent each end of the roll 9 adapted to be engaged by web of materia to slip. or relatively move thereon for the purpose of ya 'ng the dis- 7 tance between impressions.

e shaple or len h of the cams 18 is preferably as s own igure 1-so that the ipper wheels '13 will be out of contact w1th the paper the major portion of each revolution. The cams are also so arranged upon the cylinder 9 as to cause the gripper wheels 13 to move into feedin contactv with the cylinder 9 in timed re ation with thecontacting of the leading portion of each blanket 11 with the cylin er 9, so that the instant one of the blankets is moved into contact with the web of material the gripper wheels will also contact with the web of material to positively start the feeding of it between the printing c linder 9 and the usual cylinder 6. By t us timing the contacting of the gripper wheels 13 with relation to the contacting of the blankets with the peri hery of the cylinder 9, there will be no danger of the material slipping during the period of opera tion when the blanket is in printing contact with the web of material.

The feeding mechanism is preferably mounted upon an auxiliary frame 21 having one end suitably secured to the press frame 5 as shown in Figures 1 and. 2. A feed cylinder 22 is mounted upon a shaft 23 rotatively mounted in suit-able bearings provided in the side frames 21. This feed cylinder is adapted to be rotated or driven at various speeds by means of a set of speed change gears, mounted adjacent one end thereof and shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. -As here shown, a gear 24 is terminall mounted upon the shaft-23 adapted to mes with a relatively wider faced intermediate pinion 25 carried by an adjustably mounted change gear arm 26, preferably pivotally mounted on the shaft 23 adjacent the gear A change gear 27 isdemountably mounted upon one end of a counter-shaft 28 which is rot-atively mounted in suitable'bearprovided in the auxiliary side frame 21.

vel gear drive 29 is provided at the opposite side of the machineto constantly transmit power to the feed cylinder 22 from the shaft of the transfer cylinder 6 as particularly shown in Figure 2. By the em ployment of the above described mechanism the feed of the material may be increased or decreased by simply removing the change gear 27 and substituting therefor a relatively larger or smaller gear, depending upon the size of the impressions and also the distance required between the impressions. The feeding of the material into the machine and drawing it therefrom is therefore constant,

and is also at a lower speed than the speed of the material when being printed, thereby causing the section of the material between the feed 0 linder 22 and the printing cylinder!) to a ternately increase and decrease in length while the machine is in'operation.

The unprinted material is preferably delivered to the feed cylinder 22 from a roll 31 mounted upon a shaft. 32 in brackets 33 provided on the side frames 21 as shown in Figures 1 and 2; From the roll 31 the web is fed over a pair of idler rolls 34 and 35, thence over a roll 36, which is forcibly held against the periphery of the feed cylinder 22.

by means of springs 37 thereby providing means for positively feeding the web of material between the two rolls 36 and 22 as shown.

An important feature of this invention resides in the novel means provided for taking up slack in the sections of the material between the feed cylinder 22 and the printing cylinder 9. As shown in Figures 1 and '3,-

the take-up means for the lower web section comprises a roll 38 having a pinion 39 provided on each end adapted to roll in racks 4-1 secured to one of the upright guide bars 42 at each side of the machine as shown particularly in Figure 3. By means of the pinions 39 and the racks 41 it will be impossible for one end ofthe roll 38 to relatively raise or lower'withreference to the other -end that the wheels 45 tend normall to rotate in a direction to exert a downwar ull upon the straps 43, clearly shown in igure 3.

The upperends of the tension. springs 46 are adjustably connected to brackets 48 by means of threaded stems 49 and nuts 51. By varying the positions of the nuts 51 upon the stems 49 the downward pull exerted upon the roll 38 may be varied to suit the particular type orgrade of material being printed. From the roll 38 the web upwardly passes over a small friction roll 52 having a friction device such as a weight 53 operatively connected therewith to tend to retard the rotation of the roll 52. It then passes through a friction block 54 which also is provided with means, not shown,'for varying its frictional contact with the web of material as it' is fed therethrough. From the friction block 54 the web asses around the printing cylinder9 from w ich it is fed over asecond; friction roll 55 having a friction Inn shoe 56 frictionally held against the hub 57 to travel in the rack bars 41 .in a mannersimilar to the lower roll 38. From the roll 62, the web passes over. the feed cylinder 22 and between a pair of rolls 64 and 65, the ,former bein periphery o the feed cy inder 22 by means of compression springs 66 and the latter having a friction device operatively connected therewith tending to retard its rotation.

tensionabl *heldagainst the 1 of the feed cy This friction device preferably consists of a band 67 having one end secured to the frame and passing over a hub on the roll and havmg a weight 68 suspended from the other end thereof, thereby constantly actingas a drag on the roll to tend to retard the speed of the web being fed thereover- A series of draw rolls or wheels 69 are mounted'upon a shaft 71 journaled in suit-. able bearings provided in the upright portions 72 of the two side frames 21 as shown in Figure 1. These draw rolls are constantly held in driving contact with the periphery mder 22 or .with the surface of the web of material being fed therebetween by compression springs 73 as shown particularly in Figure 1. Thus it will be noted that the web of material after being printed, will be fed from the machine onto a re-rolling device or other suitable receiving means at approximately the same speed as it is being'fed into the press'to receive the impressions. 'This will readily be noted as a result of the web being fed into and out of the press by the feed cylinder 22 and the roll 36 and draw-rolls 69.

Means-are provided in the construction of this novel feeding attachment whereby the distance betweenimpressions may be varied depending u on the size of the'bag to be made from t e web, and which spacing will be accurate and constant for each setting of the machine. Such means preferably con-; sists in mounting the take-up roll59 in suchl a manner that between each impression it, will be moved upwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 against a; fixed stop 74. This stop is preferably con-3 structed of a flexible material to act as a bumper when the hub 75 of the pinion 601 engages therewith. An air cushion is also provlded to retard the upward movement of H the roll 59 and to break the force of the impact against the stop 74 each time it is brought into engagement therewith. This cushlon'preferably consists of a cylinder 76 mounted upon a bracket 77 secured to the side frame 21 by suitable bolts 78-. A piston'7 9 is operatively mounted in the cylinder 76 and has a rod 81 connectlng it with the shaft 82 of the take-up roll 59. An air v'alve 83 is provided at the upper end of the cylinder 76 for controlling the flow of'air through a port 84 in the cap 85 of the cylinder, as clearly shown in Figure 3. By manipulation of the valve 83 the flow of air through the port 84 may be controlled to retard the upward movementof the roll 59, thereby breaking the force of the impact of-the hub 85 with the stop 74. A cushion spring 86 is also provided in the cylinder 76 and is supported upon an adjustable cross-head 87 so as to engage the piston to limit-the down-- ward movementof the roll 59. The cross head 87 is adjustable by means of the threadair cushion and stop is preferably provided at each end of the roll 59 so that the up and downmovement of the roll 59 will be free and unrestricted.

Means are also provided for automatically re-winding the printed web of material after I having passed through the machine. Such means preferably consists of demountably securing a reel 91 upon a shaft 92 supported preferably in open bearings 93 as shown in igures 1, 2 and 6. A flanged pulley 94 iskeyed to the end of the shaft 92 and has a belt 95 connecting it with'a relatively larger pulley 96 secured to the shaft 97-of the lower pressure roll 36 (see Figure 1). A relative] smaller pulley 98 is also secured to the she t 97 and has a belt connection 99 with a relatively larger pulley 101 loosely -mounted upon the shaft 92 and having a pawl102 mounted thereon to engage a ratchet wheel 103 secured to the shaft 92, see Figures 5 and 6. The belts 95 and 99 are also provided with weighted belt tighteners 104 and'105, respectively, which function to automatically maintain the belts under the proper tension. The tension of the belts 95 and 99 is such that one of the belts will always be slipping while the other. is pulling the load. Such slippage usually occurs on either the pulley 96 or the pulley 98. 1

When the machine is first started the end 'of the web will be suitably secured to the reel 91 after which it will be wound there on by power being transmitted to the shaft 92 through the outer belt 95. The relative sizes of the pulleys 96 and 94 are such that when the reel 91 is first star-ted the peripheral speed thereof will be equal to or reat'er than the travel of the web through tr e machine, thereby constantly maintaining the web portion etween the reel and the friction roll 65 under tension. As the diameter of the re-wound roll increases, the speed of the shaft 92 and therefore the reel 91 will belt 95 or the belt to slip on the pulley 94. During the initial starting ofthe Eel 91.

the ratchet pulley 101 will idle upon the shaft 92 at a relatively slower speed until the speed of the shaft 92 is reduced to that of the pulley 101, after which the belt 99 will take the load'and the ratchet 102 of the pulley 101 will engagethe ratchet 103 and cause the reel 91 .to be driven by the belt 99 through the ratchet pulley 101. As soon as the belt 99 thus assumes control of the reel 91, the outer belt 95 will have no further function, the belt 99 continuing to eperate the reel until the reel has been filled and is replaced by an empty reel after which the outer belt 95 will again assume control.

The relative sizes of the pulleys 98 and 101 are; also such that the belt 99 will constantly slip.on'one or the other of two-pulleys, so

that as the diameter of the roll on the reel.

91 increases, the degree of belt slippage increases correspondingly. This novel .re-

'winding mechanism is therefore'so arranged In the operation of this novel feeding attachment the web of material is mounted, in the form of aroll, upon the shaft32 as shown in Figure 1. This shaft is preferably provided with a suitable friction device (not shown) to preventthe roll from overrunning while the machine is inoperation. From the roll 31 the web passes under the guide roll 34, thence upwardly over a similar roll 35 and between the pressure roll 36 and the feed cylinder 22. The idler roll 35 functions to increase the arc of contact of the web with the roll 36, it being understood that the roll 36 is suitably geared to the shaft 23 so that the peripheral speed thereof will be equal to the peripheral speed of the feed cylinder 22. From the pressure roll 36 the web extends downwardly and passes under the take-up roll 38, after which it passes upwardly over the friction roll 52, through the friction block 54 and around the printing cylinder 9. 4 From the printing cylinder 9 it extends rearwardly and passes over the friction roll 55, thence downwardly under the take-up roll 59 and over the idler roll 61, from which it passes under the pressure roll 62 and partially around the feed cylinder 22 to the second pressure roll 64. The rolls 62 and 64 function to increase the arc of contact of the web with the periphery of the feed cylinder 22 to prevent relative slippage therebetween. From the pressure roll 64" the web passes over the frictiong'oll' 65 and around the reel 91, as hereinbefore described.

As the web of material is thus fed through the machine, each time the leading edge of the impression blanket 11 mdves into contact with the surface of the web passing over the printing cylinder 9, the ends of the cams 18 will move out of engagement with the cam wheels 17, thereby allowing the gripper rolls 13 to move into feeding contact with the web to positively start the feeding of the material simultaneously as the impression blanket contacts therewith to make the imprint. As soon as one of the impression blankets 11 has thus been moved into printing contact with the surface of the web, the travel of the web will be equal to the peripheral speed of the blanket 11 and of the periphery of the printing cylinder 9, thereby positively preventing 'theweb from relatively moving upon the printlng cylinder 9during the period when the impression is being made upon the web. The cams 18 may be constructed so that as soon as the web has been initially started, as above described, the gripper wheels 13 may again be moved out of feeding contact with theweb as the pressure of the blanket 11 against the web, during the period when the impression is being made, will be sufficient to cause the web to continue feeding at the peripheral speed of the'printing cylinder 9 without any danger of slippage. As soon,

however, as the lagging end of the impression blanket moves out of contact with the web, the movement of that portion of the web extending from the friction block 54 to the friction roll 55 adjacent the take-up roll 59 will be interrupted, caused by the in-- creased tension in the lower section of the web as a result of the tension springs 46 cooperating with the friction device 53 and the friction block 54 to interrupt the movement of the web. As a result of the feeding of the web from the feed cylinder 22 onto t e reel 91 being constant, the take-up roll 59 ill immediately begin to move upwardly until the hubs 75 engage the stops 74, as shown in the dotted lines in Figure 3. When the roll 59 thus reaches the limit of its upward movement the web will be drawn around the printing cylinder 9 at a relatively slower speed than the peripheral speed of the cylinder until the gripper wheels 13 on the blankets 11 are again brought into feeding contact with the web, after which the movement of the web around the printing cylinder 9 will be increased to the peripheral speed of the cylinder, thereby causing the ?web to be fed from the printing cylinder 9 at a relatively faster speed than the web is being wound upon the reel 9, thereby causing the take-up roll 59 to function to take up the slack in the upper section of the web. The action of the lower take-up roll 38 will be similar to that of the upper take-up roll 59 with the exception that no limit stop need be provided.

When an impression has been completed and the movement of the web around the pr nting cylinder 9 is interrupted, the takeup roll 38 will move from the full to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3, caused by the material being constantly fed into the machine by the feed cylinder 22 As soon, however, as one of the blankets 11 and the gripper wheels 13 are again moved into feeding contact with the printing cylinder 9 thetensiou'in the web as-a result of the will again be startedfiat a relatively faster speed than the web is being fed to the takeup roll 38, thereby causing the roll 38 to be moved upwardly to the full line position in Figure 3, with a resultant increasing of tension springs 46 being elongated by the upward movement of the roll Thus, it will be noted that by the-employment of this novel take-up means the web will always be maintained under gconstant. tension, It will also'benoted that the feed into and out of themachine will be con--- stant while the movement of the. web around the printing cylinder 9 will be intermittent. To vary' the distance between the impressions it is only necessary to substitute a larger or smaller gear in place of the change gear 27 mounted upon the shaft 28. When it is de-' sired to increaseihe distance between impressions the speed of the feed cylinder 22 is relatively increased, such speed, however, always being relatively lower than the speed of the rinting cylinder 9. Conversely, when it, IS, desired to decrease the distance between impressions the speed of the feed cylinder 22 will be relatively decreased, thereby causing the web to be fed into the machine at a relatively slowerspeed. The maximumdistance between impressions will be governed by the length of the transfer blankets 11, as it willreadily be understood that the length of the impressions plus the clearance between the im ressions cannotexceed one-half the circum erence of the transfer cylinder 6. Therefore, the loops formed in the upper and lower sections of the web by the take-up rolls 59-and 38 will vary, depending upon the distance between impressions, because of the fact that when the distance between impressions is increased a relatively longer ortion of the web must, be fed into the mac ine for each impression, while when the distance between the impressions is decreased less material is fed thereinto.

As a result of the take-up rolls 38 and 59 being arranged to travel in true parallel 'relatlon regardless of their relative'positions with relation to each other, the web of material will be, maintained under constant tension, thereby preventing it from creeping from one side to the other of the machine as a result of the material varying in thickness. The pinions 39 and 60, traveling in the racks 41, are provided with outwardly extending hubs 106 adapted to travel between the edges of the guide-bars 42, thereby causing the rolls 38 and 39 to travel in vertical alignment therebetween.

, I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with impression and printing c linders ada ted to intermittently print a we fed intermittently between thein,

of pn eumaticsto p means for. tensioning the web leaving said cylinders, and independent lyspring actuated means for tensioning the web entering said cylinders.

2. The combination with im ression and rinting cylinders adapted to mtermittenty print a web fed intermittently between them, of spring actuated, and pneumatic stop means having a vertical movement for ap lying tension-to the web, respectively be ore entering and leaving sai printing and afterimpression cylinders, said. tension-applying means being'adapted for relative independent movement. a

3. The combination with impression and printing cylinders-adapted to intermittently print a web fed intermittently between them, of successively operable, pneumatic and gravity means for applying tension, to said web on one side ofsaid printing and impression cylinders, .--a d:= spring controlled 7.

means yieldingly drawn against the web on the other side of said cylinders for applying" a tension thereto.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising'printing and impression cylinders and feed rolls adapted to make impresmovable spring pressed means for applying tension to said web before the printing operation, said tension means being arranged at a point intermediate the feed rolls and printing cylinder.

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising rinting and impression 0 limders adapted to print at predetermine intervals upon a web fed between them, a gravity held roller having a limited vertical movement adapted to apply tension to the web after the printing 0 ration, and a similar spring actuated rol er fc r applyin-g tension to the web before the printing operation.

6. An apparatus of the/class described comprising 1m ression and printing cylinders whereto t e web is fed to be intermittently printed thereon, rolls adapted to contact respectively with said web before and after the printing operation. and apply tension thereto, said rolls having rack bars and p'inions therefor and adapted for independent vertical movement, and said rolls operat ing to tension the web to a predetermined degree upon opposite sides of said cylinders.

7. An apparatus of the class described comprising printing and impression cylinders and means for feeding a web of material to be printed thereto, said printing and impression cylinders beingadapted to mak lmpressions upon the web at predetermined intervals, a roll movable vertically in guides and adapted to bear on said web after the -sions upon a web of material at predeter- III printing operation, said roll having a limited vertical movement, a second roll also vertically movable in guides arranged to bear on the web before it enters said cylinders, said rol'ls being mounted for independent movement and a tension device 'for normally exerting a pull upon said second roll to draw it against the web and apply tension thereto.

8. An apparatus of the class described comprising printing and impression cylinders and means for feeding a Web of material to be printed thereto, said printing and impressioncylinders being adapted to make impressions upon the web at predetermined intervals, vertical guideways, a rack bar therein, a rollhaving a pinion engaging said rack bar, said ,roll resting by gravity upon the upperrun ofthe yveb after theprinting operation, and meansfonlimiting the upward movement of said roll, a second. lower rol'l having a pinion connectionwith said rack and a apted to'engagethe lower' run ofsaid web before the printing operation, and a spring device for exerting a downward pull on said second roll, said rolls being adapted to tension the web and compensate for variations in the thickness thereof.

9. A printing press including a printing cylinder and feed rolls, and a web carried by said rolls, and tension rolls arranged to engage different runs of the web and to apply tension thereto at-points intermediately of said cylinder and feed rolls, the rolls having a common support and yieldab'le means connected to and operating said rolls in the same direction to tension the runs of the web.

10. The combination with impression and printing-cylinders, and feed rolls, said cylinders adapted to intermittently print a web fed intermittently between them, of a roll for applying tension to the web after the printing operation, and a similar roll for applying tension to the web before the printing operation, said tension applying rolls being arranged intermediate of the feed rolls and printing cylinder.

In ;witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twenty third day of October,

- DANIEL BELCHER. 

